After Galaxia
by Sailor-Neptune-16
Summary: I suck at summaries and haven't really thouight of one for this story yet. It happens after my previous one; What She Was Feeling, though.
1. Chapter One

A young girl with very pale skin, dark purple-black hair and large purple eyes walked quickly down the street, her backpack slung over one shoulder. "Hey Hotaru!" a jeering voice called from behind her.  
  
The girl put her head down and walked faster, ignoring the speaker. "Come on Hotaru, why don't you stop and talk to us?" another voice called, this one higher and more feminine then the previous.  
  
Hotaru continued to ignore them, taking a turn down a side street that would lead to the place where one of her friends lived. "Why do you live with those freaks?" the first person demanded. "Did you know that they aren't quite right? That Michiru and Haruka, man they are in love with each other!"  
  
Hotaru felt hot anger writhing inside her gut but she ignored it. She couldn't fight these guys, not like this. She was far too weak. She had to get to the house and quick. So she sped up, hoping that if she continued to ignore them they would go away.  
  
Her wish was not granted. "Maybe you're like them!" the girl exclaimed. "Yeah, you're always hanging out with that pink-haired girl, Chibiusa right? Does she live with you too?"  
  
Hotaru's eyes began to burn as the two began to use that to taunt her. Why do they always pick on me? She wondered. Then she knew, it was because she did so well in most subjects and then did horrible in gym. She shamed them most of the time and this was their way of paying her back for it.  
  
"Man Hotaru you are one odd-cookie," the boy said. "You hang out with two lesbians and then you become one yourself!"  
  
At this insult to Michiru and Haruka, who Hotaru considered parents, Hotaru was ready to turn and attack the others. But she could now see where she was headed and, as she had hoped, the person who lived there was sitting on the steps writing in a book. So she broke into a run and heard the others give chase behind her.  
  
"Whatcha running for, wimp?" the boy called.  
  
"Yeah we just want to play!" the girl called as she laughed. "And ask you all about your living style."  
  
Hotaru ran up the steps and went straight behind the girl who was writing on the steps. "What is it Hotaru?" the girl asked, concern in her purple eyes concerned. She brushed back a lock of her purple hair and looked at Hotaru.  
  
Hotaru pointed and sank to the ground, panting from her run.  
  
The girl stood up, her eyes angry. "Hotaru heard her march down the steps and give a lecture to the ones who had been chasing her. She caught the words, "If I ever see you or hear of you doing this to her again." And, "I will tell your parents." Then the boy and girl ran off and the girl walked back up to sit beside Hotaru.  
  
"Are you okay?" she asked. "I know your health isn't the best."  
  
Hotaru nodded and a few minutes later she was able to talk. "Thank you very much Rei," she said. "They were making fun of me again."  
  
"Well then why did you come here?" Rei asked as she picked up her book and began writing again. "I thought you always ran to Michiru or Haruka with your problems."  
  
"Your place was the closest," Hotaru explained. "And they were getting closer, I was afraid they would beat me up again."  
  
"Again?" Rei demanded, putting her book down. "Have they done this before?"  
  
At the anger in her voice Hotaru hesitated to answer. "Maybe," she said finally.  
  
"The truth Hotaru."  
  
"Yes they have, two times."  
  
"Why haven't you told anyone?"  
  
"I didn't want to get anyone involved with this. Please don't tell mom and dad!" she begged. "They would find a way to make them pay."  
  
"I should tell them," Rei said. "Someone needs to take care of those bullies."  
  
"It isn't really me they tease and taunt though," Hotaru said in a low voice. "It's mom and dad. They always make fun of them."  
  
"Oh," Rei said. "I understand. You take it as a personal insult, don't you?"  
  
Hotaru nodded and tensed up. "How could I not? They are basically raising me and when people insult them I want nothing more them to transform and smash their faces in!"  
  
"Why do you feel this way?" Rei asked. "Didn't Haruka kill you before?"  
  
"You were there Rei," Hotaru said in an accusing tone. "You were there in death for the three years. We all forgave and forgot, even Setsuna and me. I don't hold that against dad anymore. She did what she felt she had to. And you know that mom was breaking apart inside when she did it."  
  
"I know," Rei said. "May I ask you a question?" Hotaru nodded. "Why do you call Haruka 'dad'? She's a girl not a guy."  
  
Hotaru laughed. "I know that," she said. "She just acts more like a father then a mother. Besides.she's together with mom so she's dad."  
  
A bell tower began to toll out and Hotaru leapt to her feet. "I'm late to get home!" she said. "Mom, dad and Setsuna will be worried." She turned and walked quickly down the stairs. At the bottom she turned and looked back up at Rei. "Thanks for helping me today Rei." Then she walked off quickly.  
  
"No problem Hotaru!" Rei shouted after her. Then she sat down, picked up her book and began to write again.  
  
((In case you could not tell this takes place after my last story, which is after the last Sailor Moon series ends. To understand what Hotaru said you have to read it. It's called; What She Was Feeling.)) 


	2. Chapter Two

((The reason my story is starting out with more then one chapter is because I won't be able to update it for quite a while due to serious lack of computer at my father's house!!))  
  
~Chapter Two~  
  
Hotaru walked up the stairs and slipped into the house, hoping to go unnoticed. "You are over half an hour late," someone remarked from beside the door.  
  
Hotaru sighed and turned to face the wrath of Setsuna. "Yes I am," she said. "I am very sorry for being late Setsuna, I will try not to be ever again."  
  
Setsuna, a twenty-two year old woman with dark green hair and dark red eyes stepped out in front of Hotaru and kneeled down so she was eye-to-eye with the thirteen-year-old girl. "You've said that every single day for the past week and a half. Twice you came home with bruises and cuts. Today you're fine, but you're still late. Why?"  
  
Hotaru hung her head and said, "I would rather not say why."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Because you will be angry and probably do something that will make my situation even worse then it already is," Hotaru replied.  
  
"You should know better Hotaru," Setsuna scolded. "I know what is happening to you as it happens. I share a bond with all of the Sailor Scouts and that includes you. I can sense if the others are in danger. I can isee/i what happens to you. I would just prefer if you would tell me. I will not do anything until you do."  
  
"Thank you very much Setsuna," Hotaru said gratefully. "Do mom and dad know that I am late all the time?"  
  
Setsuna stood and replied, "No they do not. At this time Haruka is at the racetrack and Michiru is teaching her art class. I am the only one who is home and knows that you come home late. They will be here in about half an hour."  
  
Hotaru nodded and went into her room. She sat down at her desk, pulled a few things out of her backpack and began working on her homework. She heard Setsuna turn on the radio and listened to it with one ear as she did her homework.  
  
Half an hour later someone knocked lightly on the side of Hotaru's doorframe. She said, "Come in." It didn't surprise her when she looked up into the gentle blue eyes of Michiru.  
  
"Hello mom," Hotaru said as she jumped and hugged her. Michiru hugged her back.  
  
"Hello Hotaru," she replied. "How is your homework coming?"  
  
"Just one more math problem and I will be done," Hotaru replied. She quickly finished the last problem and grinned at Michiru. "All done!"  
  
"Would you like to come for a walk with me?" Michiru asked, smiling at her. Hotaru nodded and jumped up.  
  
The walked out the doorway and started walking along the sidewalk. "Where are we going, mom?" Hotaru asked.  
  
"No where," Michiru replied. "I just wanted to go for a walk with you."  
  
Then they both were silent until Michiru turned into a park and sat on the edge of a fountain. "I came home early from my art class today," Michiru said.  
  
Hotaru stiffened, what if she had overheard her talking with Setsuna? "I went to visit Rei for a bit because I hadn't seen her for quite a while. I was just around the corner when I saw you of all people running up to steps to hide behind her. I heard what she said to a boy and girl who looked slightly winded. Then I heard what you said to her," Michiru said in a quiet voice. "Hotaru are you ashamed of me and Haruka?"  
  
Hotaru inhaled sharply, she hadn't expected this. "Of course not mom!" she said quickly and meaningfully, placing her hand on her mom's shoulder. "I love you both and would never be ashamed of either of you."  
  
"Then why did you not tell either of us what was going on with you and those children?"  
  
"I did not want you to get involved," Hotaru admitted. "They were making fun of you and dad, I did not want you to know that."  
  
"Oh," Michiru said. "I see. You are not ashamed of us, you wanted to protect us."  
  
"Yes," Hotaru said. "They also made fun of myself and I did not want you to be involved with that."  
  
Michiru smiled and placed her hand on Hotaru's shoulders. "You are a brave child," she said. "And I love you as a daughter, you do me proud in that aspect."  
  
Hotaru's eyes shone with the praise she had been given and she hugged Michiru tightly. Just then she heard a snicker and turned to see the boy and girl who had been teasing her earlier walk around the bend. "Oh no," she whispered.  
  
"What is it?" Michiru asked, pulling away. "What is wrong?"  
  
Hotaru pointed and said, "The kids who teased me saw me hugging you."  
  
"So?" Michiru asked, puzzled. "You call me mom and mother's hug their children. As daughters hug their mothers."  
  
"They think that I, well, they think." Hotaru blushed. "They think that I am like you and dad. They will pick on me for all eternity about what they just saw."  
  
"I have no shame in myself," Michiru remarked quietly, her eyes blazing. "But you are not as I and Haruka. You did not choose that path, and it was not chosen for you as it was for I." She stood up. "I will deal with those little brats." With that she strode off in the direction of where the other two had gone.  
  
Hotaru felt all the blood drain from her face as she ran after Michiru. She grabbed her arm and dragged her to a halt. "No mom!" she cried. "Please don't!"  
  
Michiru shrugged Hotaru off and continued towards the two children who were now watching them. Hotaru had no choice but to stand by and watch as well.  
  
Michiru walked straight up to them with a sugary sweet smile on her face. Hotaru knew that smile, and it wasn't a happy smile, it was an I'm-trying- not-to-show-you-how-pissed-off-I-am smile. Hotaru had never had that smile on herself but she had seen her mom use it before and the results were never very pretty.  
  
"Hello," Michiru said in a voice that matched her smile and Hotaru shuddered. "You must be the children who Hotaru was telling me about." She knelt down and looked each one in the each and each one shrank back at that look. The smile on her face was gone and replaced by a look that Hotaru never wanted to see again. Her voice was as chilly as ice and sharp as well. "If you eve make fun of my daughter again then I will make sure that you regret it," she said.  
  
"Is that a threat?" the boy asked in a trembling voice.  
  
Michiru smiled that smile again, but her voice stayed cold and sharp. "Oh no dear boy that is not a threat," she said. She turned, walked back to Hotaru and threw a glance over her shoulder. "That is a promise."  
  
"Come now Hotaru, this place is not nearly so beautiful anymore," Michiru said, putting an arm around the amazed girl's shoulders and steering her back home.  
  
"Thank you mom," she said quietly. "I should have asked you for help earlier."  
  
Michiru smiled genuinely at Hotaru and said, "If you ever ask me for help know that I will help you if it is at all within my power."  
  
((Ta-daa, chapter two.)) 


End file.
